Packers like Lacy's chances but have to plan for only 2 RBs

Sep. 19, 2013

The Packers think that Eddie Lacy has a decent chance of playing this week, but if he doesn’t play they might have only two running backs in uniform Sunday at Cincinnati. / Dan Powers/Gannett Wisconsin Media

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The Packers think that Eddie Lacy has a decent chance of playing this week, but if he doesn’t play they might have only two running backs in uniform Sunday at Cincinnati.

Lacy is recovering from a concussion sustained last week against Washington and didn't practice Wednesday or today. But he has attended practice, which with concussed players means they’re not having any issues with light, dizziness or headaches, and are close to being cleared to play.

“Eddie Lacy took a step today in the (concussion) protocol, so we’ll see where he is tomorrow,” McCarthy said after practice today. “The medical staff still feels like he has a good opportunity (to play), so he has to practice tomorrow for us to be able to gauge him.”

Fullback John Kuhn also hasn’t practiced this week because of a hamstring injury, and he hasn’t even attended practice, so his chances of playing Sunday don’t look promising. If Lacy and Kuhn can’t play, then the Packers only halfbacks will be James Starks and Johnathan Franklin.

The team also has a halfback, Michael Hill, on their practice squad, but it’s unclear whether they’d promote him to the 53-man roster on Saturday if Lacy and Kuhn can't play. That move would mean they’d have to cut a player and risk another team picking him up before they could re-sign him Monday.

“I’m impressed with (Hill),” McCarthy said. “I liked him from the first day. (General manager) Ted (Thompson) and I were talking about him today, he’s doing a good job.”

McCarthy IS wary of going into a game with only two running backs because of the risk of both getting injured and eliminating a huge portion of the game plan. The last time he did, at Kansas City in 2011, one of two backs, Ryan Grant, sustained a rib injury that limited his playing time in the second half. That hamstrung McCarthy’s play calling in what would be the Packers’ first loss of the season after 13 straight wins.

“We’ll be much better prepared than we were two years ago in Kansas City,” McCarthy said.

If Lacy and Kuhn aren’t cleared to play, and then Starks and Franklin are injured, the Packers’ fallback plan likely is lining up receiver Randall Cobb at halfback, which he does occasionally as a change of pace in the regular offense.

“I don’t want to make a living running the ball with Randall Cobb,” McCarthy said. “Let’s be honest. Randall’s a dynamic player, but he doesn’t need to be lining up behind the center carrying the ball 20 times. That’s not the plan.”

If Kuhn can’t play, the Packers can replace him by occasionally lining up a tight end in the backfield as a lead blocker – Andrew Quarless and Ryan Taylor shared that role last week against Washington after Kuhn was injured in the second half.

“You’re lead blocking from the backfield with space,” running backs coach Alex Van Pelt said, “you’ve got to read the front as opposed to having the guy stand right in front of you and you block him on the line of scrimmage. So there are some definite differences in the two spots. We have guys (who) that’s their niche, they can do both, those are the guys that interchangeable as far as fullbacks-tight ends.”